WhatsApp defends 'optional' AI tool that cannot be turned off

It comes the same week Meta announced an update to its teen accounts feature on Instagram.

The firm revealed it was testing AI technology in the US designed to find accounts belonging to teenagers who have lied about their age on the platform.

If you can't see it, you may not be able to use it yet.

Meta says the feature is only being rolled out to some countries at the moment and advises it "might not be available to you yet, even if other users in your country have access".

As well as the blue circle, there is a search bar at the top inviting users to 'Ask Meta AI or Search'.

This is also a feature on Facebook Messenger and Instagram, with both platforms owned by Meta.

Its AI chatbot is powered by Llama 4, one of the large language models operated by Meta.

Before you ask it anything, there is a long message from Meta explaining what Meta AI is - stating it is "optional".

On its website, WhatsApp says Meta AI "can answer your questions, teach you something, or help come up with new ideas".

I tried out the feature by asking the AI what the weather was like in Glasgow, and it responded in seconds with a detailed report on temperature, the chance of rain, wind and humidity.

It also gave me two links for further information, but this is where it ran into problems.

One of the links was relevant, but the other tried to give me additional weather details for Charing Cross - not the location in Glasgow, but the railway station in London.

Additional reporting by Joe Tidy